How many can you name? Most great fighters have one standout effort that they are immediately remembered by; Lousi had Schmeling, Marciano had his first heroic stand against Walcott, Hagler had Hearns...…..some, if they're good enough or lucky enough, have more than one. Ali and Leonard come to mind. Some legitimately great fighters though, have no such thing. Napoles, for example, for all his brilliance and longevity never had that one special fight. Nor, really, did Monzon. Who are some others?
I'm not sure I can call any fighter, no matter how much skills they possessed as "great" if they never had a legacy defining fight. Dmitry Pirog could be. Solid skills, can bang went 20-0, won vacant title in grand fashion, but Jacobs at the time was trying to prove his worth as well. Set aside defending his title a few times, he never had a signature win.
David Tua was a fighter with "great" power, but never got that win in which he could say, that's when I proved my valor. Bang up war with Ibeabuchi, not sure why he fought so tentative against Lennox. Like he froze. Didn't get whooped, just didn't show up. Same with Byrd. Byrd didn't really beat him, rather he beat Tua off of him! Kind of suprised to look back and can't see win that mean much: Blew Moorer out in 1 minute, same with Ruiz, but neither fighter held titles at the time. He could only win trinket belts like NABF, but was a powerful puncher.
Interesting, thanks for the reply...……...is it fair to say then, that you don't see Monzon or Napoles as great fighters? Or do you think they DID have a signature win?
For me Monzon holding down the MW crown and ruling it for over 1/2 decade is how I view him, meaning overall career. Wins against Benvenuti, Griffith, Napoles IMO were seen as stellar competition. IMO, Today's champs fight so infrequent, with so many belts, watered down divisions, we're more or less forced into searching for (A) career defining win. Back in the days of Monzon, the career was NOT defined by (A) fight, rather by how often they fought and of course who. Napoles again is a fighter I view from a historical perspective, meaning I can't guage how well his opponents were respected.---anymore than a 17 year old boxing fan today, reading about Roy Jones Jr losing to a Glen Johnson who was 40-9-2. How does a young man today know of the level Glen fought at? The kid was 4 years old. They can say it wasn't a signature fight, because daddy told him Roy was washed up. Daddy is sometimes biased! For Monzon & Napoles & company. I can't really state their career defining fight. BUT I can say their careers were legendary! Were they great fighters? Yes. Did they have a career defining fight? Depends on the era judging them. I can tell U about defining fights from age 18 & up, 18 & under, I'd have to boxrec it...ant no shame!!!
I love Eusebio Pedroza, but I dunno if he really has a signature win. That said, his dismantling of a really solid contender in Pat Ford could be considered a signature performance. Not sure if that's the same thing, though.
Ford is a great example of a fighter with a bland record, but could throw some knuckles. Fighting Sanchez & Pedroza back to back...from old timers I've listened too, kinda ruined him. He loss to a couple nobodies back to back after that. So looking at his record, one can say no it isnt a signature win. But those who were living it back then seem to state otherwise.
For me I think its a series of wins. Defeating Gernaro Hernandez to get the title was a signature win-meaning he arrived. Champ in 2 years. Not a career defining fight. His 2nd signature fight- meaning one which he went against the grain. Had 5 knockdowns over Diego Corrales. At the timewe know Corrales was billed as the next Explosive thin Man, understandably so 33-0 like 30Kos. Looking back at the predictions, it was clear, this was a career defining fight for 2 young guys, both born same year, both undefeated, only Corrales had a slew of KOs' and stood over 5'10. Time IMO has made Corrales somehow seem lesser the fighter. Lookin back...again as it was happening, Castillo was considered yet another career defining fight because Floyd haters claimed he never faced a body puncher who could rough it up inside and has just defeated a supposed top counter puncher in Stevie Johnston- I won't get into who shoulda won..bottom line is Floyd fought him 2x. Same thing was said with Ricky Hatton. He's too rough for Floyd 43-0 at that. Floyd stopped him. Yet more give credit to Pac beating Rickey....after Floyd did it...go figure... . Pac could've been that key win had it taken place 5-10 year previous. Overall Floyd's resumes consists of all styles, ages, height, powerpuncher, counter punchers, brawlers. He has no one victory that made his career, IMO it was his longevity , high connect rate that presents him having a signature career: 50 tried, 50 failed.
He's the first name that jumped to mind for me. In my mind, I'd say Peter I was his signature victory for a variety of reasons, but plenty of people disagree with me on that.
Corrales would be the first win that comes to mind. Pacquiao happened 5 years late, but they were the top two fighters at WW even at that point in their careers. Wouldn't argue with anyone listing it as a signature win.
An example of a career defining fight was Ali vs Foreman. Ali proved he couldn't beat either Frazier or Norton convincingly. Move up ahead a few years, he lost to an 8-0 Spinks, thats pathetic. If he hadn't fought Foreman, it would've been tough to claim being so great. That was the only fight Ali had up to that point (except 1st Liston win) where he wasn't considered the favorite. If we were all back then...we'd be listening to everyone from Howard Cosell to Cus D'amato tell us Ali is (WASHED UP) Even his movie depicts the ring walk likened unto a funeral. When he beat Foreman, it changed the way boxing writers viewed Ali: as washed up. That's a career defining fight ala Signature Win!
I remember, Peter was the Nigerian Nightmare Knockin' mofos OUT! Some years later and a few more losses it was like Peter was never a great puncher. Time changes a person's perspective for sure.
Kostya Tzsyu, maybe? (Unless you want to consider making Judah do a chicken dance to be a defining fight.)